Game apparatus



R. M. CHISOLM GAME APPARATUS Filed April 8, 1922 as D U LB 2 Q Q a 4 93 Q Q 5 Q i 4 mm? 90 ET} 113 Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN M. GHIBOLM, 015 NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Applicationfiled April 8, 1:922. serial No. 550,753.

' The present invention has for its pur ose' the provision of a game apparatus w ich is very simple in construction and mode-of play, and can be cheaply constructed and sold reasonably, though an expensive and more elaborate construction may be employed, and comprises a ame board with an outline of a race-track filGIGOIl, preferably in the form of a horseshoe includin a starting line at one end and a finishing line at the opposite end, in combination with a plurality of markers for the urpose of traversing the surface of the board in a line with the blocks marked upon the track.

Another purpose is to provide a game apparatus which obviates the necessity of calculating the mileage, or adding amounts in order to determine the winner of the game. Furthermore it obviates the necessity of spinning a top or other device, and instead employes an ordinary pack of playing cards with the joker omitted.

"Still another purpose is to provide a game aparatus which is not limited to any particu-' lar number of players, for the simple reason that any number of players from one to any number desired may take part in the game. For instance any number of players may choose hearts, spades, clubs or diamonds, as their suit, and should the marker corresponding to hearts reach the finishing llne first, those who have chosen the heart su1t will be declared as the winners. The present game necessitates no unnecessary stopping, for the reason that just as soon as the markers are started, they are moved, as long as their respective suit is turned up from the deck of playing cards.

Still another urpose is to provide a game apparatus including a game board havin an outline of a race-track thereon divlde 1n quarters, halves and three-quarters of a mile,

thereby making it possible for the pla ers to agree to operate the markers for a alf mile or three-quarters of a mile. In more expensive and elaborate game boards of this present character, the race-track can be divided into a greater number of blocks or spaces, and in this way increase the distance of the track. For instance the track may be divided so as to indicate two miles, three miles, or an number of miles, and each mile may be sub ivided into'quarters, and in this way increase the number of s aces, thereby maklng it longer in finishing t e game, than as at present illustrated.

Furthermore the present ame apparatus can be played by any one 01 or young, educated or not, it only being necessary to know the value of the various card suits of an ordinar pack of playing cards. Furthermore t e present game requires no mechanical devices, and the game board itself may be constructed from heavy carboard, wood, metal or any other suitable material, such as compo board. It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no Way limltative and that while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any deslred modifications of detail and desired proportions may be made in the apparatus according to circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawin s Figure 1 is a p an view of the game board, showin the horseshoe sha ed race-track, stampe d or otherwise a-pplie to the face of the board;

Figure 2 discloses a group of markers or cards with diamonds, clubs, hearts and spades respectively applied thereon, including a plan view of a horse in running position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an ordinary deck of cards. 1

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the game board which may be constructed of cardboard, wood, metal,'compo board or any other suitable material. It is obvious that the board may be any size, or shape, and

'the face of the board is a race-track of the contour of a horseshoe, though it may be otherwise shaped. This race-track 2 consists of the several spaced curved lines 3 and the cross or radial lines 4, which divide the spaces between the curved lines in oblong blocks or spaces 5. These spaces or blocks may be otherwise shaped or proportloned, 1t depending entirely upon the number of radial or cross lines 4 to be used for dividing the race-track. Stamped, printed or otherwise applied in the spaces 5 are such designs as diamonds 6, clubs 7, hearts 8 and spades 9, thou h other designs may be used to correspon with the markers or cards to be used in playing the game. One end of the horseshoe race-track has a starting line 10, while the other end terminates in a finish line' 11. The words Start here are printed or otherwise applied to the board adjacent the starting line, while the words Finish here are printed or otherwise applied to the board adjacent the finish line 11. The present form of track is divided in quarters, as shown by the indications 13, though it is obvious that the track may be more closely divided by radial lines, in order to indicate that the track is of greater length than a mile. The present outline of track is designed to represent a mile in length, divided into four parts, a quarter of a mile, a half mile and three-quarters of a mile as shown by the indications 13. If the race-track is more closely divided by radial lines, then it may be possible to divide the track (which may be two, three or four miles in length) into a greater number of quarter sections. This arrangement of track may be used in more expensive and elaborate games, and in view of the great number of spaces or blocks in this instance, the game may create more excitement during the mode of play.

A luralit of markers or cards 15 is provide and w ich may be any suitable shape, preferably oblong, and upon each of which a top plan view of a horse is printed or otherwise a plied or stamped on the face of the card. e horse in plan view appears as though it is running, its forward and rear legs being extended. A saddle is applied to the back of the horse, and stamped or otherwise applied to the saddle is some suitable design, as diamonds, hearts, clubs or spades. The corners of each marker or card are also provided with designs, similar to Ellie one ontthe siaddle, and corresponding to e respecive' esi s u on the s aces or blocks of th race-tr a izk. p p

The game is played in connection with a pack of ordinary playing cards consisting of fifty-two cards (the Joker being eliminated). An ordinary pack of playing cards is divided into four suits, diamonds, clu'bs, hearts and spades, and each suit consists of thirteen cards. Any number of players may take part in the game. One person during the course of the game should act as the dealer, who should shufiie the cards thoroughly and place the pack face down. Each player then takes a card suit, which represents the horse or marker the player is to follow through the course of the game. The dealer then turns up the first card at the top of the deck, andturns it face upward on the table, and should the suit be hearts, or for instance clubs, then the player who picks the marker or horse corresponding to clubs moves the marker across the starting line at one end of the race-track, into the first space or block containing th club. If the second card turned up by the dealer happens to be another club, the same player having chosen the club suit will move the club marker another space or block on the race-track, and so on until one of the markers crosses the finish line. Each player operates a marker in a similar manner, and it is obvious that each suit turned up by the dealer gives the marker or horse of corresponding suit one space or length toward the finish, and the player who is following the marker or horse Which first passes over the finish line wins the game, it is so declared by the dealer. It is obvious that the game can be played by any number of persons, and the mode of procedure advances rapidly and is very interesting.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is 2- 1. A game apparatus comprising a ame board having an outlined race track t ereon, said track being divided into a plurality of spaces, each space being provided with a character corresponding to a character of a conventional form of playing card, a plurality of markers, each marker having a character similar to the character of a conventional form of playing card, and adapted to successively occupy the spaces having a similar character, and a pack of conventional playing cards for designating the movements of said markers according to the character of an exposed card removed from the pack.

2. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a game board having an outlined race track thereon, said track being divided longitudinally into four separate paths, one of said paths being provided with a diamond playing card character, the next path being provided with a club playing card character, the next a heart playing card character, and the next a spade playing card character, the spaces of each path be space to space in the paths when the charing provided. with a character similar to the acter of an exposed card of the pack corre- 1c character of the adjacent space of the path, sponds to the character of the marker and a plurality of markers, each marker being the character of the path in which the provided with a character corresponding to marker is disposed.

the character of one of the paths, and a pack In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my of conventional playing cards for designatsignature.

ing the movements of said markers from REUBEN M. CHISULM. 

